Mick McKeon (speedway rider)
{{Short description|Australian speedway rider}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox Speedway rider
| name = Mick McKeon
| image =
| nationality = Australian
| birth_date = {{birth-date and age|4 March 1954}}
| birth_place = Perth, Australia
| death_date =
| death_place =
| career1 = Coatbridge/Glasgow Tigers
| years1 = 1975–1977
| career2 = Ellesmere Port Gunners
| years2 = 1975
| career3 = Halifax Dukes
| years3 = 1977–1980
| indivyear1 = 1978
| indivhonour1 = Australasian Championship silver medal
| indivyear2 = 1977, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1985, 1986
| indivhonour2 = Western Australian champion
| teamyear1 = 1980
| teamhonour1 = Northern Trophy
}}
Michael John McKeon (born 4 March 1954) is an Australian former motorcycle speedway rider.{{cite book |last=Oakes |first=Peter |title=1978 Speedway Yearbook, Rider Bio Mick McKeon |year=1978 |page= |publisher=Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd |isbn=978-0904584509}}{{cite book |last=Oakes |first=Peter |title=1981 Speedway Yearbook |year=1981 |page= |publisher=Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd |isbn=0-86215-017-5}}{{cite book |last=Oakes |first=Peter |title=Speedway Yearbook 1990, Rider Bio Mick McKeon |year=1990 |page= |publisher=Front Page Books |isbn=0-948882-15-8}}{{cite web |url=https://www.speedwaypast.com/stories/mick-mckeon |title=Mick McKeon |website=Speedway Past |access-date=28 April 2023}}
Career
McKeon made his British leagues debut during the 1975 New National League season, where he rode for Coatbridge Tigers and Ellesmere Port Gunners.{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000271/19750619/560/0020 |title=Gunners step in to sign Aussie rider |website=Liverpool Echo |date=19 June 1975
|via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=23 August 2024}} He continued to ride for Coatbridge during the 1976 and 1977 seasons, improving his average to 7.95.{{cite web |url=https://wwosbackup.proboards.com/thread/1931/mick-mckeon |title=Mick McKeon |website=WWOS Backup |access-date=28 April 2023}}
It was also in 1977 that McKeon won the first of his six Western Australian titles and he was signed by Halifax Dukes for the 1977 British League season.{{cite web |url=https://britishspeedway.co.uk/docs/Ultimate_Index_1929-2022.pdf |title=Ultimate Rider Index |website=British Speedway |access-date=28 April 2023}}
In 1978, he represented the Australia national speedway team during the 1978 Speedway World Team Cup{{cite web|url=http://www.internationalspeedway.co.uk/wtc78.htm |title=1978 Speedway World Team Cup |website=International Speedway |access-date=28 April 2023}} and won the silver medal at the 1978 Australasian Individual Speedway Championship. He rode again for Australia in the 1980 Speedway World Team Cup{{cite web|url=http://www.internationalspeedway.co.uk/wtc80.htm |title=1980 Speedway World Team Cup |website=International Speedway |access-date=28 April 2023}} and would ride for Australia eleven times in total.
He suffered a serious crash at Belle Vue Stadium, which left him with a fractured skull, leg and ribs. Although he did ride again the injury ultimately led to him quitting British speedway. He retired in 1987.
References
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McKeon, Mick}}
Category:Australian speedway riders
Category:Ellesmere Port Gunners riders
Category:Australian expatriate speedway riders in England